About Us
YMCA Heart of England believes in fairness and opportunity.
YMCA Heart of England is an independent Christian charity that works with people of all faiths and of none. We were formed from the merger of YMCA Birmingham and YMCA Coventry & Warwickshire in 2020 and support local people in their communities with a wide range of services.
YMCA believes in fairness and opportunity. There are essential building blocks for a full and rewarding life: a safe home; acceptance; guidance; friendship; physical and mental health; academic support; employment skills; and access to real opportunities. Many young people have never known these things; other people have lost one or more as they grew up, but we all need them. All of us.
At YMCA, we provide these critical foundations for a fresh, strong start for young people and a better quality of life in the community across Birmingham, Coventry, Rugby and Solihull, in which we provide;
- accommodation and support to help vulnerable people move towards independent living
- youth services in areas of high need
- volunteering opportunities
- friendly nursery settings for the community.
We are proud to be affiliated to the national and international YMCA Movement, who provide us with advice, support and representation.
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Our mission is to inspire young people to discover their potential so that they can live life in all its fullness.
YMCA Heart of England Leadership Team
YMCA is the oldest and largest charity working with young people in the world. Find out more about the key figures within YMCA Heart of England.
Pauline Tomlinson
Chief Executive Officer
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Pauline Tomlinson
Chief Executive Officer
Pauline has worked since the age of 16, born in Sheffield and was the first in her family to go to university where she studied law, social sciences and psychology. She later went on to undertake her MBA and Prince 2 Qualification amongst many other leadership qualifications. Pauline has spent over 35 years in various roles, from working as an adviser at Citizens Advice Bureau, to producing policy for the local council, to training, teaching and Heading Up a service at the local college to working as a consultant for Warwick University. Pauline has been involved in and delivered regeneration projects for local deprived areas across the region. In the last 15 years Pauline has worked within the voluntary sector dedicated to supporting YMCA to enable young people to fulfil their potential. Pauline is now the CEO for YMCA Heart of England and is proud to represent an organisation whose founding principles are based firmly in Christian roots.
Outside of work Pauline supports women in her local community to realise their full potential and acts as a mentor and adviser. She has an active role as a carer for her mother and is proud to be nanny to 3 beautiful grandchildren.
Tom Jackson
Director of Operations
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Tom Jackson
Director of Operations
Tom is a highly motivated and results-driven leader with over 17 years’ experience in the social housing sector and is also a chartered member of the CIH. Tom has extensive knowledge of legislation and regulation, with a passion for leadership, customer service, service improvement, innovation, and strategy and also has an academic background in planning and property development. Tom is also a board member for two housing associations: Vision Homes and Framework Housing
James Bemand
Director of Finance & ICT
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James Bemand
Director of Finance & ICT
James is a fully qualified Chartered Accountant (FCCA), who has been working in the finance profession for 17 years, with 12 of those being within the charity and social housing sector. James joined YMCA Heart of England in May 2020 and leads the Finance & ICT function of the business, working with both internal and external stakeholders, producing financial information & results that provide the support and assurance the business requires to make key decisions.
Dawn Ward CBE
Chair of Trustees
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Dawn Ward CBE
Chair of Trustees
Dawn has devoted her life to working with young people, raising aspirations and opportunities for all. She was born in Coventry before moving, later in her life to live in Birmingham. She is Chair of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics and is also Deputy Chair of the Chartered Institution for Further Education. She is a Council member of City and Guilds of London, Chair of Birmingham Hospice and Trustee of YMCA England and Wales and The ARNI Institute for stroke rehabilitation.
Dawn has a wealth of international experience across professional technical vocational education and is passionate about education as an enabler for social mobility. She has extensive experience in senior positions at Board level (both as a NED and Chair). She has received numerous awards throughout her extensive career in technical and professional education including WFCP Gold Award for leadership in diversity and inclusion, Principal of the year from the Centre for Excellence in Leadership, and leadership in race equality award from the Network for Black and Asian Professionals. She was promoted to CBE in 2015 for her services to Education. She was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for the West Midlands in 2022.
Dawn Ward is the current Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Champion for the board as well as the Chair of Board.
Everton Burke OBE DL FCFE
Vice Chair of Trustees
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Everton Burke OBE DL FCFE
Vice Chair of Trustees
Everton worked in the further education (FE) sector in Birmingham for over 25 years progressing through the ranks from lecturer to vice principal at various colleges. During this time he worked on several national steering committees advising government on qualifications for the Hospitality sector, including chairmanship of a review group. He also led an EU project looking at the feasibility of specific vocational qualifications. Everton is now an Education Consultant and is still a great supporter of the FE sector contributing through his governorship work since 2011 to present day, most of that time as Chairman of the Corporation.
Since 2012 Everton has been working with a police reference group that advises the West Midlands Police of strategies to positively engage with peoples of the African and Caribbean communities. He has chaired the group since 2012.
Everton was a founding director in an alternative education provision, a school, for students in years 10 and 11 arriving in Birmingham from abroad and needing to learn English.
Although he describes himself as semi-retired, Everton continues to have a strong community focus whereby he readily gives assistance and support where he can, to individuals and groups requiring it.
Everton was awarded an OBE for his services to the FE sector in 2019. He was appointed as a Fellow of the Chartered Institution for Further Education (FCFE) in 2021. Most recently he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant (DL) of the West Midlands in 2024.
Everton has been a trustee at the YMCA since 2019 and sits on the Housing, Safeguarding and Youth committee and Search and Development Committee as well as the board. Everton is also the Safeguarding Champion for the board.
Mike Hew
Trustee
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Mike Hew
Trustee
Mike Hew joined the YMCA board in May 2017 having retired in 2014 as the Chief Executive of a registered housing provider, based in the West Midlands.
He has many years of housing experience at a senior level in both housing associations and local authorities in the region bringing expertise in strategic and asset management, change management, organisational development, social housing policy and governance.
He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and also serves as a Board member for a large housing association based in Walsall. Mike is also a trustee at his local Christian church where he helps with running a drop in youth club and with preaching.
Gabriel Imevbore
Trustee
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Gabriel Imevbore
Trustee
Gabriel joined YMCA Birmingham as a resident after coming out of emergency accommodation.
Gabriel has since become a Resident Representative for YMCA Birmingham, won the Young Leader of The Year at the 2017 Youth Matters Awards and is now the youngest member of the Board of Trustees in YMCA Birmingham’s history.
He has future ambitions of becoming a successful entrepreneur and has started his first business – iMev Marketing Ltd, a social media marketing agency.
Stephen Marchant
Trustee
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Stephen Marchant
Trustee
Stephen Marchant is a Chartered Building Survey and Director of Masefields Architects & Surveyors. His career started as a Technical Officer in the Property Services Agency with responsibility for housing maintenance, before qualifying as a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor and which saw him move into private practice where he gained extensive experience of residential and commercial property. Steve has been a long-standing supporter of local grass roots sports, a past President of Alcester RFC and he continues to support local community events and groups. Steve has recently become a Mentor with the Power Up Mentor Foundation a scheme that supports young people in schools by assigning a mentor from a local business.
Stephen joined the YMCA board as a co-opted member in 2024. Stephen was nominated and was ratified at the AGM/Board meeting on 2nd September 2024, where he became a board member.
Mark Farmer
Trustee
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Mark Farmer
Trustee
Mark Farmer worked across a diverse range of voluntary and statutory sector youth, community, and play services during his time as a practitioner, including serving as a housing support worker for the YMCA. He later transitioned into service management, working as a Youth Officer for Worcestershire County Council, where he was responsible for both urban and rural youth work provision.
In 2004, Mark was appointed Senior Lecturer in Youth Services at the University of Worcester, where he played a leading role in course development. Mark held course leadership responsibility for the University’s JNC-validated professional youth work qualification from 2008. Most recently, he held course leadership responsibility for the BA (Hons) Health & Social Care Top-up degree before retiring from the university in 2024.
Mark joined the YMCA board as a co-opted member in November 2023. He was then nominated and ratified at the AGM/Board meeting on 2nd September 2024, where he became a board member. He currently sits on the Housing, Safeguarding and Youth Committee.
Edward Owusu-Ansah
Trustee
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Edward Owusu-Ansah
Trustee
Edward Owusu-Ansah is a seasoned director with extensive experience in health, social care, and private equity. A Chartered Accountant by profession, he has furthered his expertise by studying private markets investments and sustainable finance at Oxford University.
In 2014 Edward founded a home care provider in the Midlands, growing the business from inception to multimillion-pound revenues within five years. This enterprise has supported thousands of vulnerable adults, enabling them to remain comfortably in their homes, and has collaborated with local governments and the NHS to manage at-home care services. In 2023 Edward successfully sold 50% of the business.
In 2021, Edward established a private equity business, which has since made successful investments in properties, health & social care and specialist care, leveraging Edward’s entrepreneurial track record and financial acumen.
Beyond his business ventures, Edward is committed to impacting communities. He serves as a trustee and board member for YMCA Heart of England, contributing to the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, as well as the Asset & Development Committee. His extensive experience in finance and social care provides valuable insights to the organisation, supporting its mission to create supportive, inclusive, and energizing communities.
Edward joined the YMCA board as a co-opted member in 2024 and was nominated and ratified at the AGM/Board meeting on 2nd September 2024, where he became a board member.
Mark Bruckshaw
Trustee
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Mark Bruckshaw
Trustee
Mark first started his career managing property in the local authority sector. Mark has led teams of housing professionals in delivering housing services in accordance with government funded contracts. Mark has vast experience of working with various Boards of Management advising, servicing and preparing policy and procedures for Directors. Mark is a practicing Christian and has been involved with the YMCA for over 25 years both as an employee and as a trustee at YMCA Birmingham before joining the Board at YMCA Coventry & Warwickshire and now YMCA Heart of England.
Fran Steele
Trustee
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Fran Steele
Trustee
Fran is an experienced leader with an extensive background in both executive and non-executive roles, which have involved engaging with complex organisations and supporting leadership teams to deal with issues of complexity, governance, performance and change across the public and private sectors.
This rich background has evolved through direct employment with the NHS as well as spending 20 years in management consultancy, sitting on the Board of a national governing body funded by Sport England and operating as a Trustee Director for a private sector pension fund. Fran is also currently working as a Non Executive Director for Birmingham Women’s & Children NHS Foundation Trust.
Fran became a Board member in September 2024.
YMCA through the years
Sift through the YMCA Timeline to understand our development over the years.
1821
George Williams, born on a farm near Dulverton, Somerset.
1844
George Williams, a young apprentice draper living above a shop in London, formed the first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in St Paul’s churchyard in the heart of London (6 June).
1849
City of Birmingham begins its work, initially in Deritend.
1851
After exhibiting, at the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, there were 24 YMCAs in Great Britain, with a combined membership of 2,700. That same year the YMCA was established in North America: Montreal, 25 November, and Boston, 29 December.
The Exhibition proved to be a milestone in the YMCA’s history as publicity leaflets distributed at the time helped to develop links with other countries. The American YMCA movement founded and led the way in addressing physical fitness with gym openings and a wide programme of activities.
1853
First YMCA for African Americans was founded in Washington, D.C., by Anthony Bowen, a freed slave.
1854
First international convention, held in Paris. At the time there were 397 separate YMCAs in 7 nations, with 30,369 members in total.
1888
YMCA opens a large gym at London Central Association, marking a shift towards personal health and fitness.
1889
Coventry YMCA opens in the city.
1891
A Canadian physical education instructor invented basketball in 1891, at Springfield College, a YMCA training school.
1894
Queen Victoria knighted Sir George Williams and he was given the Freedom of the City of London for his YMCA work marking its 50th anniversary.
1895
William Morgan invented volleyball at the Holyoke, Massachusetts, YMCA where he served as Director of Physical Education.
1905
Sir George died in 1905 and was laid to rest in the crypt at St Paul’s Cathedral.
1914
During World War I, the YMCA extended its work across the Channel to support the troops. YMCA huts provided soldiers with food, drink and free writing paper and envelopes.
1932
YMCA launched two initiatives to help tackle rising unemployment: British Boys for British Farms, which placed unemployed young men as agricultural workers on farms; and an Employment Department, which found jobs for 38,000 ex-servicemen.
1944
YMCA began work in prisons and young offenders’ institutions.
1945
YMCA continued its war work and mobile canteens were introduced to bring refreshments to the troops.
1946
Nobel Peace Prize awarded
1958
Birmingham YMCA commences work on a new centre on Reservoir Rd, Erdington.
1959
A government report was published on the need for better leisure facilities for teenagers. As a result, many YMCAs began youth clubs to help young people with their personal development through recreation, leisure and informal education.
1961
A new YMCA centre is opened in Northfield on land purchased from Bournville Village Trust.
1970
YMCA George Williams College was established to provide professional training for youth workers. It remains today one of the leading training colleges for those working in informal education.
1971
National statement of Aims & Purposes agreed at British YMCA Conference
1973
British YMCA Assembly, held in Birmingham, accepted Basis of Union.
1980
YMCA Training for Life was launched which would result in the creation of YMCA Training – one of the UK’s leading vocational training organisations.
1992
A new YMCA centre is opened in Aston in partnership with Midland Area Housing Association. It is named Will Steel House, after the Association’s Chief Executive.
1998
Fourteenth World Council, Frechen, Germany, produced Challenge 21
2003
National statement of Aims & Purposes agreed at English YMCA National Assembly
2005
The 150th Anniversary of the World Alliance of YMCAs, culminating with a global event in Mumbai, India from 17th – 22nd August 2005 on the theme ‘Celebrating, envisioning and building peace with justice.’
Coventry YMCA becomes YMCA Coventry & Warwickshire with the opening of YMCA accommodation at Lucas House in Rugby.
2006
National Assembly of YMCAs agrees Vision for Movement in England to be: “The YMCA’s vision is of an inclusive Christian Movement, transforming communities so that all young people truly belong, contribute and thrive”
2007
New headquarters for YMCA Coventry & Warwickshire are opened at Daimler Green in Coventry.
2010
The YMCA centre in Erdington is replaced with the first phase of The Orchard. A second phase opens a year later.
2016
HRH the Princess Royal formally opens the final stage of The Orchard development, The Chris Bryant Centre.
2019
YMCA celebrates its 175th anniversary.
2020
YMCA Heart of England is formed through a merger of YMCA Birmingham and YMCA Coventry & Warwickshire.
2024
YMCA celebrates 180 years of service.
